Corn-header



L. L. AND S. J. ELLIS.

CORN HEADER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2. 1919.

Patented Dec. 21, 1920,

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Inveniors Lemuel L. Ellis jamuel J. EZZz's y WMMMJ W W L. L. AND S; J. ELLIS.

CORN HEADER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2, 1919. 1,363,099.

Patented Dec. 21, 1920..

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- 'Iflwnfazzs Lernucz L.E'Zli$ Samuel J Ellis by Wm M ma their Aflaz'neys' UNITED STATES FA'i'libi'l @FFICE.

LEMUEL L. ELLI$ AND SAMUEL J. ELLIS, 0F ALPAUGH, CALIFORNIA; SAID LEMUEL L. ELLIS ASSIGNOR TO SAID SAMUEL J. ELLIS.

CORN-HEADER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21, 1926.

Application filed June 2, 1919. Serial No. 301,269.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LEMUEL L. Ennis and SAMUEL J. ELLIS, both citizens of the United States, and residing at Alpaugh, in the county of Tulare and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Corn-Headers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine for heading certain plants, such as Kafir corn, Gyp corn and millet. Plants of this character have heads bearing seeds which are valuable as cereal and fodder. The heads are located at uneven distances from the ground, and the'ordinary wheat headers are therefore, not adaptable for heading plants of the character described. Heading has heretofore been performed by hand.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a machine which is adapted to head plants of the character described, thereby saving labor and time. It is another object of this invention to provide a machine having a heading cutter adapted to be instantaneously adjusted as to height during its operation and not to interfere with such operation. It is a further object of this invention to provide a machine of the character described which is simple in construction, strong. durable and easy to manipulate.

These objects will be more fully under-- stood, as will also other objects and corresponding accomplishments of my invention from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof. For the purpose of this description reference is bad to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a complete machine; Fig. 2 is a plan view; Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, part being in elevation; Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is an en larged longitudinal section of the axle; Fig. 6 is a view looking in the direction ofthe arrow 6 in Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line 77 of Fig. 5.

Referring more particularly to the drawing and especially to Figs. 1 and 2, a frame is indicated by A. This frame is mounted upon ground wheels which drive a gatherer B, guiding and feeding the corn to cutting mechanism C. The heads severed by cutting mechanism 0 are delivered to an eletending vator D, the latter is adapted to discharge the heads directly into a wagon or other re ceiver.

Thefraine A may be built up of fabricated iron orsteel, such as channel bars, I beams and the like. It comprises a bed 8 preferably of rectangular form, upon which is supported a header frame 9.

Extending from the front of the frame are guidebars l0 and 11. At the ends of the guide bars are fingers l2 and 13 which diverge from one another, as best shown in Fig. 2. The endsof the fingers are supported by brackets one of which is indicated by 14. in Fig. 1. Journaled on the guide bars are sprocket wheels 15 and 16. Within the frame 9 are sprocket wheels 17 and 18 cooperating with sprocket wheels 15 and 16. Passed over sprocket wheels 15 and 17 is a gathering chain 19, and a similar chain 20 passes over sprocket wheels 16 and 18. The gathering chains have laterally exiingers, those on one chain being disposed in staggered relation to those on the other chain. The fingers interlace on the adjacent side of the gathering chain holding the corn therein and feeding it to the heading cutters. The front arms 12 and 13 embrace the corn and guide it to the gathering chain.

Referring particularly to Figs. 3 and 5, bearings 21 and 22 are secured to the under side of frame 8. Journaled in bearing 22 is a live axle 23 having a wheel 24 secured thereto. 'Journaled in bearing 21is a hollow shaft 25. Bearing within shaft 25 is the axle 23 and rotatably mounted upon the end thereof is a wheel 26. Fixed to axle 23 is a ratchet 27, and engaging the latter are pawls 28. By reason of this construction the wheel 26 is permitted to travel at a less speed than wheel 24. Shaft 25 is a drive shaft, and is provided on its inner end with a jaw 28 for engagement by a jaw member 29 splined to axle 23. J aw member 29 is operated by a clutch lever 30 mounted upon the frame and connected by suitable linkage with the clutch member. Fixed to shaft 25 are three bevel gears, 31, 32 and 33 respectively.

Journaled in an upright position in frame 9 are shafts 34 and 35. Fixed at the lower end of shaft 34: is a bevel pinion 36 meshing with gear 31, and fixed to the lower end of shaft 35 is a bevel pinion 37 meshing with tate in opposite beveled gear 32. Gears 31, 32, 36 and 37 are so arranged that shafts 34 and rodirection. Fixedly secured to shaft 34is the sprocket wheel 17, and fixedly secured toshaft 35 is sprocket wheel 18. This construction causes the gathering chains to move in the same direction on their adjacent sides. Splined on shaft 34 is a cutting disk 38, and splined on shaft 35 so that its edge overlaps disk 38 is a cutting disk 39. Cutting disks 38 and 39 are provided with hubs 40 and 41, each having annular grooves in which are disposed collars 42 and 43. The elevation of cutting disks 3S and 39 may be varied by adjusting the collars. Connecting collars 42 and 43 is a yoke 44, and extending upwardly from yoke 44 is a rack 45. Journaled on the top of frame 9 is a shaft 46 carrying a gear 47 which meshes with the rack 45. On the end of shaft 46 is a hand wheel 48 to pro vide convenient means of rotating the shaft 46. It is obvious that by turning the hand wheel 4Sthe header disks 38 and 39 may be raised and lowered to accommodate them to the height of the heads in the row being cut. To assist in gathering thecorn into the cutters, fingers 49 and 50 secured to the hubs 40 and 41 are arranged in staggered relation, and will gather the corn in against 7 the cutters.

As the machine moves along a row, corn isgathered in and fed to the cutters. An operator, who rides upon the machine, elevates and lowers the cutter disks to properly head the corn. A seat 51 is provided for him in such position that he may conveniently work the hand wheel48.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 a shaft 52 extending longitudinally frame 8 and jonrnaled to the under side and 3,

. thereof has a bevel pinion 53 secured thereto. Bevel pinion 53 meshes with bevel pinion 33, so that the shaft 52 is driven by the ground wheels. On the rear end of of the shaft 52 is a sprocket wheel 54 over which passes a sprocket chain 55, which drives the elevator D. The elevator D may be of the usual construction in harvesters, and as it forms no part of our invention it will not be described in detail. The elevator delivers to the side of the header. A chute 56 receives the heads and directs them upon the conveyor of the elevator.

A tongue 57 as shown in Fig. 1 and omitted from Fig. 2 is attached to the frame, and may be provided with the usual swingle or double-tree for drawing the harvester.

It is understood that we do not limit ourselves to the exact mechanical details'shown herein. The mechanical design of the structure may be changed, and various mechanical expedients resorted to without departing from our invention.

What we claim is:

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a pair of cutter disks arranged to overlap each other, gathering fin-' gers on said disks arranged to interlace with each other, means to drive said disks toward each other and permit axial adjustment of their positions, a yoke secured to said disks, a rack secured to said-yoke, and a pinion meshing with said rack to raise and lower said disks.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination ofa pair of parallel upright drive shafts, a cutter disk splined on each shaft, said disks overlapping one another, gathering fingers on said disk arranged to interlace with one another, a yoke connecting said disks, a rack secured to .said yoke, and a pinion in mesh with said rack to raise and lower said disks.

In witness that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto subscribed our names this 26th day of May, 1919.

LEMUEL L. ELLIS. SAMUEL J. ELLIS. 

